by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Dror Cohen

This former F-16 Israeli fighter pilot lived and breathed the real version of Top Gun, but instead of shunning the world for what he lost after his injury, he decided to prove to the world what he could still do instead.

From becoming the best Paralympian sailor in the world to a highly decorated motorsport driver, Dror has transformed the idea of disability in Israel.

And he’s reaching out to help others too. He helped found a charity helping Israelis access adaptive motorsports and is a motivational speaker. Read this entry

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Wheelchair-User’s GoPro Extreme Adventures

In a sea of cameras, the GoPro camera is definitely the Sucker fish; the camera that very stealth-like attaches itself to anything it can. This is why this camera has become a favorite of extreme athletes, and adapted athletes, wanting to share their first person experience with the world.

Mount it, wear it, the options are endless. The camera/company itself, own by Nick Woodman, a surfer from California, has been around since 2004, and it’s become quite the phenomenon. Thousands of amazing wheelchair-perspective videos have been made over the years too, from simple stuff like “ride-alongs” to giving an in-your-face view of a hardcore adaptive sport.

Check out 3 videos below that feature some of the best GoPro footage ever taken from a wheelchair user’s perspective. When you have a rugged, HD camera like this, the options truly are are endless. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Therese Riedel

You have those that when they say they’re going to do something, they actually do it, and Therese Riedel definitely falls into this category. A rising basketball star who likely would’ve played on the 2012 U.S. Women’s Olympic team, she went on to transform her b-ball skills into martial arts skills.

And it doesn’t stop there. Now a teacher of martial arts and returning to school as well, this 24 year old woman refuses to let her injury win. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Never Before Seen Wheelchair Elevators

ference to our lives, transforming us from dependent into independent individuals and it’s been a beautiful thing to witness.

Elevators too have come a mighty long way since they were invented in the late 1800s. They’ve especially become cooler since the dawn of the Computer age, especially when you throw in a healthy dose of American ingenuity. They’ve been so fabulous in fact we had to write this post.

Read on for three unforgettable videos showcasing elevators made specifically for wheelchair-users. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Capt. Stewart McQuillan

They say the desire to be up in the great blue yonder is something you’re born with. If that’s true, then that certainly explains Captain Stewart McQuillan’s lifelong passion for aviation, the world’s first paraplegic to fly a helicopter.

A hardy veteran of the Royal Air Force, McQuillan’s father and grandfather were both pilots and he himself began flying at 11 years old, but he’s much more than just a pilot.

He’s also an electrical engineer and the brain behind a groundbreaking device that allows those with paralysis to fly a helicopter (or any other rotary device).

For a fearless story that crosses oceans and endless skies, read on to be inspired by Captain Stewart McQuillan. Read this entry

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Adapted Skydiving Part Deux: The No Fear Club

One of the sweetest releases of life in a wheelchair is without question skydiving. When you’re barreling through the sky at 200 miles an hour, it’s hard to think about your limited mobility. In fact, it’s pretty much an afterthought.

And we believe this freeing thing is something all people with disabilities need to experience. For many people with disabilities, skydiving takes them out of their “spot” and into a more tactile world. It’s hard to not feel alive when you’re skydiving.

For videos that touch on the braveness required for skydiving, here are three that do just that, including a few tough paraplegics and quadriplegics who are determined to do what they want t no matter what. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Jessica Kruger

At only 21 years old, Jessica Kruger from Vancouver, Canada has already put a huge dent in her mission to change the way the world perceives beauty. Last year she put her hat in the ring for a nationwide modeling contest in Canada sponsored by Lise Watier, and she totally won.

Since winning, this college student and quad rugby player has been all over the news sharing her story and spreading the message that beauty can come in all forms.

Get ready to be inspired by a woman dedicated to a higher mission that, as always, can be helped by a dress and a pair of Steve Madden heels. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Give That Skin Some Love, and Pressure Relief

Possibly one of the most annoying tasks that come with paralysis is pressure relief. No matter how time consuming and hard it can be, there’s no getting around it; it simply must be done. If you don’t, you could get a pressure sore that could leave you bedridden for months.

Most of us unfortunately learn the hard way about how important pressure relief is. We end up with skin breakdown, and before we know it we’re on our sides in bed, staring at a laptop screen and binge watching some mediocre television show. It is a living hell to be sure.

This is why learning the pressure relief techniques that can be done in a wheelchair is hugely important no matter your level of injury. Read on for three different pressure relief techniques, each tailored for a specific SCI level. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Travis Roy

A product of the die-hard hockey world in the northeast U.S., Travis Roy grew up loving hockey, and after he became paralyzed while playing hockey for Boston University, he’s been committed to doing everything possible to not only improve his situation, but the situation of others like him.

He’s put on many hats to make his reality. Travis founded a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury (as well as raise money to support people living with a spinal cord injury), he’s written a memoir, he’s become a mouth painter and he’s gone on to become a popular motivational speaker.

For a peek into the life of someone who inspires big time, read on for the impressive story of Travis Roy.

by Tiff -

Getting Even Smarter: More Ways to Climb Stairs From Your Wheelchair

When it comes to climbing stairs, that’s not really in the vocabulary of someone who uses a wheelchair on a regular basis. Most of us resign ourselves to the first floor and that is that. However there are some people in wheelchairs who are the exact opposite and would never let a puny thing like a step dare get in their way.

I love these people too. They show the world that people in wheelchairs can be quite unexpected. Just because some of us can’t walk, it absolutely doesn’t mean we’re weak.  These very strong individuals include paraplegics and those with minor to moderate spinal bifida and cerebral palsy.

It’s a feat, a work of art, the way some individuals climb stairs without leg movement. Read this entry